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Teacher Slain in Sweden By Knife-Wielding Attacker

October 22, 2015 8:20 AM

Associated Press

A crowd gathers outside, as emergency services attend the scene of a sword attack by a masked man at the Kronan school in Trollhattan, Sweden, Oct. 22, 2015. At least six people were injured, and the offender was shot by the police.

A knife-wielding masked man attacked people Thursday at a school in southern Sweden, killing one teacher and wounding two students and another teacher before being shot by police, authorities said.

Trollhattan, Sweden

Students fled in the morning from the Kronan school in Trollhattan, near Goteborg, Sweden's second-largest city. Police in Trollhattan, in a statement, said the attack took place in the school's cafe area.

Police arrived at the school to find one male teacher already dead and two students and another male teacher wounded, police spokesman Thomas Fuxborg told The Associated Press.

Knife or sword

Another police spokesman, Stefan Gustavsson, told the AP the attacker had a large knife, possibly two, including what may have been a sword. He said authorities knew the attacker had killed the teacher "because of the wounds he had."

Fuxborg said police fired two shots, one of which hit the attacker, a man in his 20s.

Police did not give any possible reason for the attack.

Health authorities in Trollhattan said the two students, aged 11 and 15, were seriously wounded with cuts. They said the attacker was also in serious condition. There was no immediate information on the condition of the wounded male teacher.

Connection unknown

The school has 400 students, ranging from pre-school to high school. Fuxborg could not say whether the man had any connection with the school.

Swedish media said the school held a meeting Thursday morning to discuss teachers' worries that the school was too open, with a cafe for adults that meant the school could not control who comes in. The Dagens Nyheter newspaper said students must go through the cafe to reach the school's own cafeteria and other parts of the building.

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven cancelled his schedule and was heading to Trollhattan.